Ipswich 3 Wolves 0

MICK McCarthy detests cliches with a passion, so as he gathered his shattered squad for a post-match huddle after Saturday's defeat at Ipswich, the words "all good things must come to an end" would not have featured in his address.

MICK McCarthy detests cliches with a passion, so as he gathered his shattered squad for a post-match huddle after Saturday's defeat at Ipswich, the words "all good things must come to an end" would not have featured in his address.

But ultimately that was probably the over-riding message of a disappointing afternoon at Portman Road, which brought Wolves' revitalising six-game unbeaten run to a lethargic close.

The Tractor Boys - unstoppable on their own soil but rather more permeable elsewhere - may have put the brakes on Wolves' recent resurgence.

But for McCarthy's men to finish the afternoon in something of a ramshackle state, and on the back of a seemingly convincing 3-0 thumping, was a harsh reflection on how events panned out.

Because in the early stages, and belying their extensive travails on the country's motorway networks during the previous 72 hours, Wolves started the sharper against an Ipswich side seeking a 10th successive home win not enjoyed since the days when Sir Bobby Robson was at the helm.

And that bright opening almost got its deserved reward on just five minutes as Michael Kightly was felled by Neil Alexander - a red card would have been harsh but the lack of a booking was perplexing - giving Wolves, and more specifically Freddy Eastwood, a penalty.

Eastwood, in a Southend team which was the last to win at Portman Road, couldn't have been handed a better chance to write his own script on his long-awaited Wolves return.

But the striker, indulging in the sort of interrupted run-up with which Robbie Fowler had beaten Wayne Hennessey at Cardiff in midweek, fluffed his lines by fluffing his kick, allowing Alexander the chance to comfortably turn from villain to hero for the second successive home game by saving a penalty he had given away.

From there Wolves were doused and Ipswich were roused, but even then the wounds meted out by the hosts either side of half-time were self inflicted.

Jody Craddock was already suffering from an ankle injury before his uncharacteristically mistimed challenge gave Alan Lee the chance for a smart finish three minutes before the break, while Darren Ward allowed Pablo Counago through far too easily for the second within seven minutes of the restart.

And once two goals adrift, Wolves, for whom Jay Bothroyd had been denied a spectacular equaliser by Alexander in first-half injury-time, clearly started to suffer from those long hours on the road.

Chasing a game is so much more fatigue-inducing than protecting a lead, and so McCarthy's assertions that the person responsible for giving Wolves assignments at Cardiff and Ipswich in less than 72 hours was a 'plonker' had plenty of credence.

A plonker or otherwise, you have to question why all Championship teams were handed two home or away fixtures last week rather than, as the Australian soap opera goes, 'Home and Away'.

That wasn't, however, McCarthy making excuses, just pointing out that life became far more difficult having not taken advantage of the good start which once again threw Eastwood back into the headlines.

It must be the Hollywood surname but just as it appears the Eastwood saga is heading for calmer waters - back singing to his manager's tune and back in the team - along comes another giant pebble.

Missing a penalty - stuttering run-up or otherwise - can happen to anyone.

But McCarthy's assertion that the pairing of Eastwood and the born-again Bothroyd just wasn't working, thus prompting the half-time departure of the former, makes you wonder just what the future holds.

The future of more pressing importance to McCarthy and the team as a whole is Bristol City on Saturday.

One good thing may have come to an end, but attention now turns to kicking off another one.